Prosecutors' Special Investigation Unit Urgently Arrests Kim Yong-hyun for 'Voluntary Late-Night Appearance'...Transferred to Dongbu Detention Center (Comprehensive)

Mobile Phones Also Seized... Considering Evidence Destruction Risks Such as Telegram Withdrawal

The prosecution investigating the emergency martial law situation urgently detained former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun, considered one of the main instigators, after questioning him on the 8th.

The Special Investigation Headquarters for Emergency Martial Law of the prosecution announced that morning, "Former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun was urgently detained, and his mobile phone was confiscated." Kim voluntarily appeared at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office around 1:30 a.m. that day, stating he would "actively cooperate with the investigation into public suspicions," and was detained about six hours after the questioning.

The Special Investigation Headquarters judged that Kim's urgent detention was justified because the charges of rebellion under the Criminal Act, which can carry the death penalty, are serious crimes, and there is concern about evidence tampering such as coordinating statements with related parties. According to the Criminal Procedure Act, if there is reasonable suspicion that the suspect committed a crime punishable by death, life imprisonment, or imprisonment or detention for three years or more, and there is concern about evidence destruction, and urgent circumstances prevent obtaining an arrest warrant, the suspect may be arrested without a warrant.

It was revealed that Kim recently withdrew from and then rejoined a Telegram account, raising suspicions that he might be destroying evidence. Since the Special Investigation Headquarters confiscated one mobile phone previously used by Kim after the investigation, it is expected that they will proceed with forensic procedures to recover messenger chat contents and other data.

Kim is a senior by one year to President Yoon Seok-yeol at Chung-Ang High School and is considered the person who proposed the emergency martial law declaration to the president and effectively led it alongside him. Within the military, a faction known as the 'Chung-Ang faction,' composed of Chung-Ang High School alumni including Kim, is believed to have led the declaration of emergency martial law.

The Special Investigation Headquarters, which was launched on the 6th, regarded securing the testimony of key figure Kim as an urgent priority and had been demanding his prompt appearance. Kim’s side reportedly expressed willingness to voluntarily appear early that morning.

Kim, who was urgently detained, was transferred to the Seoul Eastern Detention Center. However, since the investigation took place late at night, it is currently unclear whether additional questioning will occur that day. The Special Investigation Headquarters plans to request an arrest warrant within 48 hours of the detention after further questioning. If they do not request an arrest warrant or fail to obtain one from the court, Kim must be released immediately.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.